This invention relates generally to systems and methods for supplying oxygen enriched air to an enclosed space for prolonged or constant human consumption. The systems and methods may distill oxygen from ambient air by a molecular sieve pressure cycle mechanism, such as a pressure swing absorption, may generate oxygen from water using electricity or may use oxygen enriched air produced by membrane filtration. The system may include an oxygen battery, sensor and regulator for controlling and regulating the oxygen or oxygen-enriched air to maintain the oxygen content of the air in the enclosed space within an optimum range.
The most vital element on earth is oxygen. Without it, human life simply could not exist. Oxygen is about 21% by volume (about 23% by weight) of our natural atmosphere, regardless of climate, altitude and geography. It is believed that in the past, atmospheric oxygen levels were higher, perhaps significantly so, than today. The decrease in oxygen content of ambient air during the last couple of centuries may be a result of reductions in plant life and/or increases in the use of fossil fuels, among other factors. Oxygen levels may have exceeded 35% in prehistoric times.
There is little doubt that lower oxygen levels impair physical and mental function. In urban areas and enclosed spaces, oxygen levels can be substantially lower than 21%. In high altitudes, relative oxygen concentration is the same but all gases are rarefied, which is equivalent to lower oxygen levels.
The level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in our blood triggers breathing, not the amount of oxygen. Humans are not very good at compensating for low or high oxygen levels by breathing more or less. The benefit of higher oxygen concentration is that getting more oxygen, at least some of the time, is highly desirable. Medical treatment for intensive care and for very sick patients routinely uses high purity oxygen.
Hyper baric oxygen treatment is a very common form of alternative medicine believed by many to have broad health benefits ranging from aging and aches to cancer and infectious diseases. Oxygen bars have cropped up that offer healthy patrons pure oxygen inhalation. There are books and groups espousing the therapeutic value of increased oxygen intake and its critical role in vast array of common ailments.
Oxygen separation is a well-established technology. Purified oxygen is the third largest bulk chemical market. It is of critical importance in industrial processes, medicine, research and development and aquaculture. In the future, purified oxygen could have dramatic positive impact on energy generation and reduction of air pollution.
Several technologies exist for separating oxygen from air. One technology is Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) devices which are used for smaller, on-site applications. This technology was originally developed in the 1950s-1960s. Another technology is cryogenic separation, which is often used, in large industrial facilities.
New oxygen separation technologies are being developed. There are significant ongoing efforts in industry and academic research to find cheaper and more efficient ways to separate pure oxygen. Most of these methods are based on diffusion or filtering through new materials such as ceramics, membranes, etc. All of these efforts target existing industrial and medical applications. A particular important target is making it economically feasible to use enriched oxygen in burning fossil fuels.
The present invention includes an oxygen-enrichment system, the system may include oxygen distilled from ambient air using a molecular sieve pressure cycle mechanism fed into the enclosed space, may include an electrolyzing system for evolving gaseous oxygen from water and feeding the oxygen into the enclosed space, may use oxygen from a storage tank or tanks adjoining the enclosed space, or may include a membrane system to produce oxygen-enriched air which is fed into the enclosed space. The invention may include a sensor and regulator that detects the oxygen content of the air in the enclosed space and controls the oxygen supply to regulate the oxygen flow into the enclosed space. The system can be set to flow oxygen-enriched air into the enclosed space if the percent of oxygen in the enclosed space falls to or below a pre-selected value and shut off the supply of oxygen-enriched air when the oxygen content rises to a pre-selected value. The system may include a diluter to reduce the concentration of the oxygen that is supplied into the enclosed space.
The optimum percent of oxygen in the enclosed space for increasing alertness, improving productivity and comfort, reducing drowsiness, and increasing overall well-being need be only a few percent above the percent of oxygen in ambient air. It is believed that raising the percent oxygen to a range of about 25-40% by volume can substantially increase the alertness, productivity, comfort and overall well being of people breathing the air. It is desirable to keep the oxygen content in the enclosed space from exceeding approximately 40% by volume to minimize a possible risk of fire hazard or oxygen toxicity in the enclosed space.
This invention also provides a method for providing a small increase in the oxygen content of air in enclosed spaces using the disclosed systems. The invention provides a method that helps people increase their alertness, improve their productivity and comfort, reduce their drowsiness, improved metabolism and increase their overall well-being and prevent disease.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying description below. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description. In the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms also include the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. All patents and publications cited in this specification are incorporated herein by reference.